Solve the Expression: 15-5-4+6 Step by Step

Q: Do I need to follow PEMDAS for this problem?

Yes, but this expression only has addition and subtraction, which have equal priority. So you simply work left to right through the entire expression.

Q: Why can't I group the addition first since it's positive?

Addition and subtraction have equal precedence in order of operations. You must follow the left-to-right rule, not rearrange based on positive or negative signs.

Q: What if I get confused with the negative signs?

Think of subtraction as adding a negative number. So $ 15-5-4+6 $ becomes $ 15+(-5)+(-4)+6 $, then work left to right.

Q: How do I check if 12 is the right answer?

Work through each step carefully: $ 15-5=10 $, then $ 10-4=6 $, finally $ 6+6=12 $. Each step should feel logical!

Q: Is there a faster way to solve this?

You could group positives and negatives: $ (15+6)-(5+4) = 21-9 = 12 $. But the left-to-right method is safer and less error-prone for beginners.

Order of Operations with Mixed Addition and Subtraction

Solve:

$15-5-4+6$

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Step-by-step written solution

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Understand the problem

Solve:

$15-5-4+6$

Step-by-step solution

To solve $15-5-4+6$ , follow these steps:

Start with the first operation: $15-5 = 10$ .
Next, subtract 4: $10-4 = 6$ .
Finally, add 6: $6+6 = 12$ .

Thus, the answer is $12$ .

Final Answer

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic

Rule: Work left to right with addition and subtraction operations
Technique: Calculate step by step: 15-5=10, then 10-4=6, then 6+6=12
Check: Verify each step gives reasonable results and final answer is 12 ✓

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors

Adding and subtracting out of order
Don't jump around doing operations randomly like 15-4=11 first = wrong result of 8! This ignores the left-to-right rule and creates calculation errors. Always work strictly from left to right with same-level operations.

Practice Quiz

Test your knowledge with interactive questions

$$ 8 - 2 + 6 = $$

FAQ

Everything you need to know about this question

Do I need to follow PEMDAS for this problem?

Yes, but this expression only has addition and subtraction, which have equal priority. So you simply work left to right through the entire expression.

Why can't I group the addition first since it's positive?

Addition and subtraction have equal precedence in order of operations. You must follow the left-to-right rule, not rearrange based on positive or negative signs.

What if I get confused with the negative signs?

Think of subtraction as adding a negative number. So $15-5-4+6$ becomes $15+(-5)+(-4)+6$ , then work left to right.

How do I check if 12 is the right answer?

Work through each step carefully: $15-5=10$ , then $10-4=6$ , finally $6+6=12$ . Each step should feel logical!

Is there a faster way to solve this?

You could group positives and negatives: $(15+6)-(5+4) = 21-9 = 12$ . But the left-to-right method is safer and less error-prone for beginners.

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